


The Ghost of Winter

by soldier_of_ice



Category: Marvel
Genre: Bucky has nightmares, HYDRA!reader, Hydra, Other, SHIELD, Steve's probably in the background during this, Zola has a son!, aRe ThEsE eVeN wArNiNgS aNyMoRe, bUCKY OKAY, basically Bucky is full of feels, bucky is a fluffy cinnamon roll, dark!Reader, except he gets the murderous girl, hey maybe you should get kleenex, it really doesn't work...I mean it's Bucky we're talking about, just watching Bucky get the girl again, like seriously, okei bye, reader tries to kill Bucky, while I hid so you don't kill me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-05-30 20:39:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6439633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldier_of_ice/pseuds/soldier_of_ice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Soooo, this is my first work on here. I have a Wattpad account (@angels-halo) and on there, there is this same work, except instead of the reader, it's my own original character, Eira.</p><p>Tell me how you like this!</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. A New Asset

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo, this is my first work on here. I have a Wattpad account (@angels-halo) and on there, there is this same work, except instead of the reader, it's my own original character, Eira.
> 
> Tell me how you like this!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new Asset has replaced the Winter Soldier, while Bucky recovers from another nightmare.

Footsteps echoed down the dimly-lit corridor as the group of soldiers marched down it on their rounds. They stared straight ahead, eyes cold and expressionless as they passed the various doors and darkened windows.

The leader abruptly called out a command, and the sound of heels clicking against the marble floors sounded as each soldier turned sharply to face one particular door. They split equally into two pairs, stepping forward, then turned around around to silently guard the door.

“–you said the Asset wouldn’t remember _Captain America_.” A sarcastic voice floated down the hall from the direction in which the soldiers had come. Soon, a new group had rounded the turn and could be seen coming down the hall. “And look what happened.”

“He’s a broken toy, Captain. We knew he would break eventually, because of Rogers or someone else. He had connections.” Another voice replied in a cold manner. “He’s useless now, to us and to the Avengers. Luckily, we have a new toy to play with. She’s as good as he was, perhaps better. A new ace.”

“Perhaps, Doctor, but I seem to remember you saying that the Winter Soldier was the perfect ‘ace’, as you put it, so why should we trust you now? For all we know, she’s unstable.”

“Oh, she’s unstable, Captain. She could certainly be a risk, as you propose, but this is war. We must take risks, and she’s one that could pay off and win us this war – and the world.”

The group halted at the door, and the scientist and the captain stared in confusion at the guards. “What the hell are they doing here?” The scientist demanded, almost angrily. “Any hostile presence, inside or outside, can trigger the Asset’s system. They cannot be here!”

“Calm down, Doctor Levinski.” Nevertheless, the captain frowned at the soldiers. “Lieutenant Jackson, what is the meaning of this squad's presence?”

The man closest to the door on the right-hand side stepped forward, bringing his hand up to the brim of his hat in a sharp salute. “Hail, HYDRA! We were given orders to guard the Asset at all times while she is inactive, Captain.”

“By who?” The captain demanded, his brow furrowing in confusion and anger.

“Captain Rowling, sir. He said she is a danger, and an unnecessary risk to the plans.” The lieutenant, Daniel Jackson, replied stiffly.

“You are dismissed.” He nodded. “Tell the captain that if he places any more guards around this room, I will personally see to it that he is demoted. Hostile presences trigger the Asset.”

The lieutenant opened his mouth to object, but a sharp glare from his superior had him and his men marching back down the hall stiffly, unsure of what punishment lay ahead for disobeying one captain’s orders to follow another’s.

Ignoring the soldiers who were leaving, the captain turned to the scientist. “If what you say is true, and she’s better then he was, she may be a risk we should take. But keep in mind, if this fails or goes wrong in any way, you will be the first person I kill.” His expression and tone never wavered, but the scientist seemed unperturbed, and he disregarded the captain’s last comment.

“Wonderful, Captain! I assure you, you will not be disappointed.” He turned to the rest of the group, who had been silent thus far, with a wolffish grin. “Prepare yourselves, gentlemen. Imagine a world where we are the masters, the ones who control every little thing. We control every person who is born. We control life itself.” Some of the men were nodding, and he paused to let his words sink in.

“This Asset, gentlemen, is the key to that new, and improved, world.”

–†–†–†–

_Darkness filled his vision, and he could hear the screaming – a child. A woman cried out in the background, and he shuddered. He knew those screams._

_He looked down. Blood pooled around his feet. His knife – it was clutched in his arm. His metal arm. Blood drenched it, and the flash of metal winked at him from out underneath the red covering._

_His mission – he needed to finish off his mission. Was it the children? No. No, it was —_

_To his confusion, there stood a man who seemed to have no will to fight. He looked tired and worn, and he had his hands at his side. “Bucky. Buddy, it’s me. Your pal.” He said quietly, his blue gaze meeting Bu– no, he was the Winter Soldier. The Asset._

_“You’re my mission.” He spat, and he stalked forward. His knife raised, he was prepared to kill the man before him–_

“Bucky! Wake up!”

Bucky's eyes narrowed in confusion, and then abruptly widened in horror at the scene before him. He had Steve pinned to the wall with his metal hand, and he was sporting a bruised cheek. Bucky stumbled back, his hand releasing his best friend.

Steve gasped, regaining his breath as Bucky continued to back away, shaking his head. His eyes were wide with horror that he had, once again, inadvertently hurt his best friend because of his nightmares. The ex-assassin sank onto the bed placed in the center of the plain room, his hands gripping his hair as he shook. Memories of the nightmare flashed through his head, and with a sickening realization, he knew it was not just a nightmare.

It had been a mission. He had murdered that woman. Her child – the child had heard everything. The car crash. The gunshot.

He felt the bed sink down next to him, and he flinched automatically, expecting a blow for his loss of control, even asleep. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that the man beside him would never hit him because he lost control.

“Bucky.” Came Steve’s low voice. “You’re safe now. You can talk about your nightmares. The team – we’re all here for you.”

Bucky shook his head violently, his lips sealed. He knew Steve was right, but the fear that had been instilled him by HYDRA wouldn't leave. The fear that if he talked, he was punished for showing any emotion. It hid itself in his mind, whispering that Steve was testing him. He couldn’t fail. He couldn’t talk.

“I- I’m fine.” His quiet voice cracked, and he felt an urge to curl further into himself. He bit his lip, then said softly, “Can... Can I be alone?”

Steve was silent for a moment, and a new fear rose in the man beside the famed hero. He had asked too much, assumed that he could ask for something he didn’t deserve—

“Yeah. I’m right across the hall if you need anything.” The supersoldier rose from the bed, and made his way to the door, looking back at his best friend, who was still trembling a bit. Sadness shone in his eyes, but he turned anyway, and left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Bucky was left alone with his thoughts and fears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you get the reference? XD
> 
> Also, I can't edit the note at the top o.o So, basically, now my Wattpad account is different. @_aghostofwhatoncewas


	2. The Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new Asset is tested while Bucky comes to a horrifying realization that he’s not quite out of the woods with HYDRA yet.

“This is her?”

The voice came from a young lieutenant in the group, as he surveyed the sleeping Asset. She was clad in a black leather suit, her hair falling over her shoulders. Even asleep, her face was stern and unforgiving, but flawless. Doctor Levinski had made sure of that.

Her lithe form was limp, but her hand twitched as the lieutenant made his comment.

“Careful, you fool.” The scientist snapped at the young soldier. “Any hostile presence can trigger her. Once that happens, she’s highly unstable until we can properly subdue her.”

The lieutenant looked down, suitably chastised. Or so he seemed.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn't know she was so sensitive.” Unfortunately, this comment was said sarcastically, because he had a big mouth and didn’t know when to shut up. His mother had always had trouble with that, too.

The captain’s ice cold gaze found the idiotic lieutenant. “Doctor Levinski, perhaps a demonstration would be in order. I’m sure Lieutenant Cole here would be more then happy to be demonstrated upon.”

The lieutenant’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in surprise. A second later, he had regained his composure, and nodded stiffly, saluting the captain. “Sir...yes, sir.”

The captain turned back to the Asset, and he nearly took a step back in surprise. Her eyes were opened, and fixed on him. She made no move to do anything, her eyes sliding past him to examine the other men. With a muted note of satisfaction, he noticed her gaze lingered on the lieutenant, and seemed to harden before moving on.

“Gentlemen,” the doctor interrupted his thoughts. “If you’d go into the viewing room over there, the demonstration will be ready shortly.”

The captain nodded sharply, and glared briefly at the lieutenant before marching out, the rest of the group close at his heels as he led them to the viewing room the scientist had pointed out. The lieutenant, on unspoken orders, remained. The scientist made no acknowledgment of his presence, instead checking over the Asset.

The lieutenant’s dark brown gaze had been fixed upon the complicated panel the scientist had just recently vacated, but it darted up when he sensed a watchful gaze upon him. He swallowed hard when he met the eyes of the Asset.

Under normal circumstances, she would be quite beautiful. Dirty blonde hair was strewn over her shoulders as though the strands had been carelessly tossed there, and her icy blue eyes seemed to pierce to his very soul. The lieutenant suppressed a shudder of fear under the scrutiny of that unforgiving gaze. Here and now, she was a deadly kind of a beautiful, he thought. A woman every man – every person – knew not to mess with.

 _“Lieutenant.”_ The sound of an annoyed voice snapped the soldier back to reality, and he hurriedly looked in the doctor’s direction. The doctor wore a smirk, but simply said, “Asset, your orders are to incapacitate this man in any way you can. No lethal force.”

The woman nodded, her gaze finding its way back to the doctor. She complied with the next order, directed at both the soldier and her, to walk into the next room. The lieutenant was last in, and the sound of locks clicking had his fear rearing its head.

The Asset made no move, standing in the middle of the room as she watched him unflinchingly. Her mouth was set in a thin line, and never once, did she blink.

“You may begin, Asset. Remember, no lethal force.”

Later, the lieutenant would never be able to fully recall what had happened in the few seconds between those commands and finding himself on the floor, unable to move and slipping into unconsciousness, a silent Asset standing over him with cold eyes. He didn’t have access to the camera, of course, but it certainly proved certain rumors true to him, that the Asset was indeed faster and a whole lot more dangerous then the previous one.

She had beat his every record at everything, and her lowest scores far outreached the highest of every other Hydra agent, including the Winter Soldier himself.

“At ease, soldier. Release him.”

The Asset stepped back, but her eyes never left the man.

His world faded to black.

**†**

“She’s certainly an expert,” the captain mused, his eyes on the camera screen, where the Asset was waiting patiently, eyes turned upward towards where she knew the camera lay. Even through technology and the protection of two rooms and a hallway, he could feel that unnerving, soul-piercing stare.

“She’s the best, Captain. I trained her in everything _he_ was trained in, and far, far more.” The scientist retorted.

“And yet, despite all of his training, the Winter Soldier was still convinced by an enemy agent that he was someone else. Bucky Barnes was supposedly destroyed, according to _someone_ by the name of Levinski, and yet _somehow_ , Steve Rogers brought him back. So, tell me, doctor Levinski, does this new Asset have any connection to Rogers or Barnes?”

This was the one question the scientist had been fearing. He swallowed visibly, seemingly gathering his thoughts before plunging in. “Captain, there are a few minor connections she has to Barnes. No, wait!” He held up a hand in half plea, half annoyance, as the captain open his mouth to loudly object to his statement.

“They’re anything but strong, and it’s only because they were assigned as a team several times. But instead of wiping her fully, we can manipulate her memories.” He paused, as the captain began nodding, understanding where this was going.

“In other words, we can make her see Barnes and Rogers as the ultimate enemy, and so give her a reason to utterly destroy them.”

  
** –†–†–†– **

  
Bucky stayed up the rest of that night, memories slowly trickling in. Bits and pieces were floating around his head, as he tried desperately to piece them together. Who was Sarah? The... The Howling Commandos... They were... 

Bucky gritted his teeth. Damn HYDRA! In his anger, he swept the flower vase off the stand next to his bed, sending it crashing to the floor. The door opened a few minutes later, admitting Steve for the second time that night. This time, however, Bucky didn’t turn him away, instead raising his head to meet Steve’s gaze.

“Buck?” Steve asked with a frown, glancing at the shattered vase. Water was slowly soaking into the rug laid out on the marble floor, but neither really cared at the moment.

“I can’t remember anything. It’s – it’s all little pieces. Nothing makes sense.” He said quietly, his tone taking on what sounded like a pleading edge.

“Hey,” Steve sat beside him for the second time that night, but this time, Bucky had the courage to look his friend in the eye. Maybe that was a step forward, Steve thought. Bucky could actually look him in the eye without flinching. “We’re gonna get through this together, remember? We’ll get your memories back, I promise. One step at a time.”

Bucky’s eyes met Steve’s, and what the famed supersoldier saw in his best friend’s gaze broke his heart. Bucky’s eyes held a lost, fearful look to them, like he was still on the run from everything and everyone, and he couldn’t trust anyone.

“Why do you stay with me?” He whispered, so quiet Steve almost had to lean in to hear him.

“Cuz I’m here for you, remember? I’m here ’til the end of the line, James.”

Bucky frowned as a name flitted across his mind. Spirit? No... Ice... No. No... It was.. It was someone he should know, maybe?

He straightened up, eyes widening a bit as the Soldier within him sensed something off. He had been such a fool, thinking Hydra would give up on their assassinations attempts. The fact that nothing had happened recently should have alerted him, and he cursed.

“Buck?” Steve asked once again.

“They’re sending her after me.” Bucky’s gaze darted around the room, wide and nervous. “She’s coming for me.”

“Who?”

“The Shadow Soldier. They’re going to send the Ghost after me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour, my fluffy cinnamon bun readers! Ça roule? Moi? J’ai la pêche!
> 
> (Translation: Hello! How’s it rolling? Me? I’m peachy [OR: I’ve got the peach!])
> 
> Yes, I’m taking French. XD Maaaaybe I’m showing off a bit. XD
> 
> Pleeeease leave comments and suggestions! I want to know what you think! I know that the reader hasn’t had POV yet, but she will, I promise.
> 
> Who else died at the Civil War trailers?!?!
> 
> \- Nyła R.


	3. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Asset undergoes the memory-manipulating procedure, while Steve assembles to the team to discuss protecting Bucky.

**Three Days Later...**

“How do you know this will work?”

The doubt came from a scientist, hidden in the crowd that was gathered around the chamber containing the Asset. Today was the day – the Asset had been being prepped for today, when her memories would be severely altered until all she knew, or thought she did, was that Barnes and Rogers were the worst enemies of HYDRA, and that in order for them to succeed, she needed to eliminate the threats.

Doctor Levinski sighed dramatically, turning to his fellow scientist. “My dear Winchester, I assure you that Captains Rowling, Vanderbuilt, and I discussed this at length. If we were not sure this would work, do you think they would allow such a dangerous procedure to be attempted with only a slight chance at success on our most valuable weapon?”

That certainly succeeded in silencing doctor Winchester. He nodded a bit, glancing down at the clipboard he held. Besides him, ten other scientists were gathered in this room, seated at a table that had been provided close by, so as to watch and report what happened. If this worked, perhaps this method would be successful with other, less _submissive_ , prisoners.

Like the Maximoff twins.

The Asset was already in place, her eyes flickering around the room, meeting each and every gaze. In doing so, she unnerved every scientist, except for doctor Winchester. More then anything, he seemed intrigued by her stare, and the way she held herself. “Interesting...” He muttered, ducking his head down to jot a quick note on his pad.

Levinski smirked. “It hasn’t even started yet, doctor.” He said, almost tauntingly, causing a cold gaze to flick up to meet his.

“Perhaps I wasn’t writing about the Asset,” he replied, just as coldly, causing Levinski to shoot him a scowl and turn away. He began pressing buttons, and attaching things to the Asset, who watched him coldly. She didn’t object or flinch, instead silently waiting for her next orders. For now, she was to sit still.

“Lean back.” He ordered, barely giving her a glance as he bustled about, making sure everything was perfect. If this worked, he could be hailed as a hero in HYDRA. The thought lifted his spirits, and he gave her a reassuring smile. “You’ll be fine. No one dangerous is here.”

She nodded, leaning back in the chair. “Eyes closed, Asset.” He said, and she obeyed immediately. He checked over everything one more time, then turned to the scientists. “Prepare yourself, gentlemen.”

He turned back and began fiddling with the control panel as behind him, the Asset began screaming. He never flinched, even as he increased her pain with every button tap and turn of a dial.

** –†–†–†– **

“He could be mistaken. Maybe HYDRA decided enough was enough and gave up.” The voice came from none other then Tony Stark, who had his feet propped up on the meeting table the Avengers were gathered around. Steve had called them together here after Bucky had clammed up about this “Shadow Soldier”.

Steve shook his head, leaning forward so his elbows were resting on the table. “No. He says this is the one thing he remembers with clarity. This woman, this Ghost, goes after anyone who deserts or betrays. He says it’s HYDRA’s way of keeping everyone in line.”

There was a silence. Bucky went back and forth on what he remembered, but Steve’s statement brought home that Bucky’s suspicion could become a reality. And it made sense. HYDRA would be the type of organization to kill anyone who dared to even doubt they were correct. Bucky knew this better then anyone – from the sound of his nightmares, he wasn’t an exception to those his former superiors tortured.

“If what he says is true,” Natasha spoke up, glancing around, “we should take precautions. If HYDRA really sends this ‘Ghost’ after traitors, it sounds like he’s next on her target list.”

Clint nodded, seated next to her, taking up her train of thought. “Tasha’s right. He won’t like it, but he needs to be guarded until we can take this Ghost down.”

Steve shook his head. “He might act out if we try and protect him too much. I can maybe talk to him, and try to convince him that he should stay in the Tower for now, but he’s going to give heavy push back unless he has ample proof that this agent can kill him. He thinks he can win if it comes to a fight.”

“And?” Bruce prompted, eyebrow raised as he sensed the unspoken words Steve hesitated to put out there.

“I know Bucky, and he’s an amazing fighter, but from what he’s told me... She’s been trained the exact same way. She’ll know all of his moves, his tricks. Anything and everything he knows because of HYDRA, she’ll know.”

That brought a heavy silence over the team assembled, and each were weighing the stakes. They could hand Bucky over to this agent when she came, but in doing so they would permanently alienate Steve, and that could be a huge mistake. On the other hand, the prospect of HYDRA throwing everything they had at SHIELD and the Avengers to kill Bucky wasn’t inviting, either.

Tony finally spoke up, looking around as his gaze hardened. “We’ll kill her if we have to, but that agent is coming nowhere near Bucky Barnes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and like! It really makes my day! Also, I'm debating whether to open a Marvel oneshot / request book. What do you think?
> 
> \- Nyła R.


	4. Shadowed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doctor Winchester muses on the procedure, while Bucky catches a glimpse of the Asset.

**Doctor Winchester was a brilliant man, but he had a major flaw – his emotions.** HYDRA prized his mind, not his feelings. Over the course of his years spent working at the organization that had a redder ledger than any he had ever seen, he had come to realize this, and that it was wisdom to pretend he was just like all those other cold, cunning minds.

He sighed, glancing down at what he had written on his clipboard earlier. _Calm. Distant gaze. Different from previous Asset. Perhaps she will be the one to succeed?_ The red letters were scrawled in the margins of his worksheets, hastily noted down as the procedure went underway. The screams were the one thing he hadn’t liked, wincing as they grew louder. At one point, a man had actually left, unable to continue listening to the tortured screams of the Asset as her mind was ripped apart and pieced back together with only what Levinski wanted her to know.

That man was dangerously close to insanity, and everyone knew it. A slight shudder ran through doctor Winchester, before he sighed, picking up his pen and biting his lip as he stared at the blank screen of his laptop.

He jotted down another note, then set the pen down, wondering what he should put in his report to the RED SKULL, otherwise known as the council that governed HYDRA. They were almost like a form of the World Council, except they were a lot more evil and ruthless. They executed men for simply being up past curfew.

Doctor Liam Winchester leaned back in his chair, sighing. The procedure had gone surprisingly well, save for the pain and the Asset’s confusion when she was brought around. They had had to knock her out after she began fighting the pain, which was only a natural reaction to something as unnatural as Levinski’s... Well, he called it a “project”. Liam wasn’t so sure it was a project so much as a personal experiment to see how far he could push his humanity.

**\---Earlier---**

The whole room was silent, and for a deadly minute, the scientists thought this had gone too far. Levinski had accidentally killed the Asset in his attempt to change her memories. Her vitals were unstable, and they watched as he and a few other doctors tried to revive her before she was too far gone.

Levinski cursed, as the scientists glanced at each other, before one rose, clearing his throat. “Doctor Levinski, this has gone too far. The drug you gave her was too much. I’m shutting this program down–”

“She’s alive!” The shout came from a medicial doctor, who had a faint reading of the Asset's heartbeat. “She's unstable, but alive."

The scientist who had been cut off stared in shock, as his colleagues rose around him, murmuring and pushing to get a better look at the woman who was unconscious before them, but clearly alive as her chest rose and fell with each strengthening breath.

Doctor Winchester only smiled to himself.

He had known she would make it.

**\---Present---**

With a little nod, Liam Winchester began writing his report.

_**RED SKULL, glorious leaders of this most glorious organization, I witnessed the first attempt at Project Memoriam, and am pleased to report that the Asset passed successfully...** _

As he continued typing out his report, he failed to notice the dark gaze that turned away with spite, accompanying the sound of sharp boot heels connecting with the marble floor in a quick and stiff fashion, marching back down the hall. The agent went to report back to a certain scientist on what had been happening, whose expression only darkened further.

** –†–†–†– **

The sound of steady footsteps was one of the loudest sounds in the nearly-deserted park area. Blue eyes gleamed out from under a cap that was resting on the head of the owner of those footsteps, as he slowly walked along the pathway, early morning mist rising from the ground with every step he took. The early birds chirped at each other, and despite the hour, the sound of a busy city could be heard in the distance.

Bucky had already taken his 5am jog, and now he was simply enjoying the freedom of the cold, crisp air that hadn’t experienced the warmth of the sun yet. It had been a long time since he had been allowed outside without a mission or... His step faltered as memories flashed in.

_Cold air hit his face as the mask was ripped off by the man. He turned, his gaze darkening as the strange, blonde-haired man moved towards him. “Bucky–”_

_Who the hell was Bucky? He was the Winter Soldier. The Asset. No, he was... He was Bucky?_

Bucky jerked himself out of the memory, shaking his head with a violent twist, as though he could physically force that memory out of his mind. He couldn’t face that memory again, the dagger of guilt twisting in his heart. He had been prepared to kill Steve, showing no remorse as he would move onto a new mission.

The former Asset winced at that thought, but his mind was quickly dragged from that thought as the Soldier within him suddenly threw up a red flag: _I’m being followed._

He didn’t break the now-pretense of being relaxed, as his step slowed so he could scan his surroundings. With other people, that would have come off as suspicious to anyone watching, but he was the former Asset. If he didn’t check his safety every few minutes, that would alert the assassin that he knew she was there.

He could almost hear footsteps behind him, slowing to match his, although that could have been a result of his stimulated imagination. Every woman, every footstep, was dangerous right now, until he could identify the real threat. He continued walking, but he knew if he didn’t turn around, he wouldn’t see her. She wasn’t dumb enough to try to sneak past him.

He stopped suddenly, turning as though he had heard someone calling his name. He acted like he was looking for someone, and then sighed as though it had been to no avail. _Damn, she’s good. Of course she is. HYDRA taught her._

He turned back around, and continued following the path until it met the road and meandered out. Still nothing.

Then a strange chill came over him, like someone was looking into his soul, and didn’t like what they saw. He turned, and his eyes found hers, the woman who stood on the street opposite of him. Her cold eyes shouldn’t have surprised him, as he himself had worn that expression many, many times when he wasn’t himself.

For an eternity, or what seemed like one, Bucky’s gaze remained fixated on hers. This was her, he was sure of it. The Shadow Soldier, or as he knew her better, the Ghost.

A car suddenly passed between them, breaking his concentration. When the car had passed, the woman had vanished.

The chilling feeling never left him, sinking into his bones to stay for a while.


	5. Killswitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finally comes face to face with the Asset – and discovers a terrifying fact.

**“Bucky? You there?”**

The sound of Steve’s voice would have startled Bucky, if he hadn’t been expecting it. “Yeah,” he whispered back. “I’m on the west side, but there’s no one here.”

“What do you mean?”

Sometimes, Bucky wondered if Steve really was as dense as he sometimes seemed like. “I  _mean_ ,” he hissed back, “there are no guards. No life. Something’s wrong here.”

“I’m coming–” The sound of a grunt interrupted the superhero, and the sound of someone hitting the wall followed. There were muffled words and yells, but the gist was clear. And a few seconds later– “Alright, I’m back.”

“Steve, seriously. I have this.” He ordered, and for a second, a memory flashed before his eyes. It made his throat tighten– it was of Steve being bullied, and he’d saved his friend once again. He shook the memory away, as if he could physically push it away.

“I can come, Buck.”

“Nah, I can protect myself.” He whispered sarcastically. This end of the building should have been swarming with enemy agents and scientists, considering the amount of valuable information and things it held, but it was eerily quiet, as though it had been evacuated. “Stay over there. I–”

He was cut off by the sound of footsteps. Heavy, slow footsteps, as though someone knew he was there, and knew they had him trapped. He looked around, ignoring Steve as he called over and over again for Bucky to answer, and saw no escape. He would have to face this person head on.

He knew it would be the Ghost, or someone to distract him while she crept up from behind. The minute he caught sight of a male face, he tensed up. This would be the perfect opportunity for her to attack, so where was she?

“Ah, mister Barnes, is it not? I’ve heard so much about you.” It wasn’t a compliment. The man had a distinctly German accent, smiling coldly as he came to a stop, in full view of Bucky. The former Asset’s blue eyes narrowed, as he assessed the man and the situation.

“Who the hell are you?”

“You would not know me, but I am the son of the glorious doctor Zola.” He said, a proud smirk taking over his previously hostile smile. “He passed away recently, due to... _unfortunate_ circumstances, but he trained me properly before he departed.”

Oh, so his accent was Swiss.

“Well, great,” Bucky spat. “I was hoping to finish him off, but luckily, there’s you.”

The man laughed, but it held no warmth or friendliness, only a cold that Bucky knew all too well. “Oh, certainly, Mr. Barnes – if you can defeat _her_ first. She doesn’t like people threatening me, you see. She _really_ doesn’t like you, either, I’m afraid.”

As dread washed over him, and he nearly froze in place, he barely registered the man’s last sentence, his mind focusing on the one before that. Zola sounded so calm, as if he had done this hundreds of times before. And his words... _She doesn’t like people threatening me._ So she had a mind of her own? No, HYDRA wouldn’t risk that, unless....

Unless they wanted her to think independently, and there was only a few reasons he knew of that HYDRA would allow that.

Anger quickly hit him, replacing and shoving out the dread, and he stepped forward, his gun coming up as he spoke quietly. His voice was extremely dangerous, and he swore he saw a flicker of fear in the man’s eyes, before it was gone, replaced once more by that cold fire.

“Who was she, Zola? Before you turned her into a monster?”

Zola just smirked.

Bucky never got to demand the answer again, because he was ducking and whirling as a gun went off behind him. When he straightened up seconds later, he came face to face with a woman. She was dressed similarly to how he was, in his suit, and a familiar black mask covered the lower half of her face, as piercing, ocean-blue eyes met his for a brief instant before she was going on offensive again, trying to fire and hit him.

She never got to, because he gripped her wrist with his metal arm, and she was forced to dropped the weapon, a slight noise coming from behind the mask as she did so. Her other hand was a blur, a knife seemingly leaping into her grasp as she shoved forward, using his grip on her to unbalance him as he stumbled back to avoid the knife slash at his flesh arm.

He grunted a little as she dropped, forcing him to release his grasp or be dragged down with her, swinging her leg around to catch on the back of his knees. He sidestepped that by inches, and she was up again, pulling out another gun as she fired shot after shot at him.

Bucky pulled out his own knife, flipping it so the blade was pointed upwards before he threw it at the gun, sending the firearm hurtling against the wall with the force of the throw. He almost cursed as he realized she still had a weapon, and he didn’t. Knife balanced in her hand, she circled him, waiting for him to make a move. He waited, watching her silently as he checked her over, then in one fluid movement, he took her by surprise, feinting a lunge and then dropping when she tried to slash at him.

In the process, he grasped her wrist again and twisted it, forcing her to drop the blade, and his metal hand was up in a flash, catching it by the blade as he pressed his surprise advantage, shoving her back as he dropped to make her unbalanced.

“Buck!” Someone yelled behind him, and he dropped once more from his half-rise as something round and metal flew over his head. The woman gave a muffled curse as she narrowly missed it. Bucky felt someone come up from behind, but he didn’t turn, because that presence was all too familiar, and comforting.

The woman froze, eyeing them as Steve came up on Bucky’s right, his gun in his hand and aimed at her. “Don’t move,” he warned, glancing briefly at Bucky, who sensed his gaze and let his eyes dart to the side for a moment, gaze meeting gaze.

A second was all she needed, and as soon as they looked back, she was gone, and only silence remained. No footsteps to indicate she was running, no other doors for her to have run through. Only the hall, and the heavy, suffocating quiet she had left behind in her wake.

The Ghost had once again vanished.

**–†–†–†–**

 

“Steve, I’m fine. I don’t need to see a doctor.” Bucky huffed, annoyance spread across his features. “She barely grazed me.”

“You have a gash on your arm, Bucky. That’s not ‘barely a graze’.” Steve argued. “Did you even notice when she did it?”

Bucky fell silent, and Steve knew he had won, though there was no satisfaction in his voice or expression. Finally, the latter sighed. “No, but I was kind of distracted with trying to disarm her before she slit my throat.”

Steve paused, something seeming to dawn on him. Bucky was a damn good fighter, and he had been even more trained when HYDRA had kidnapped him. He was one of the best on the team, and could even beat Natasha in a fight. It was clear HYDRA had trained the Ghost as well as they’d trained him, and it had been clear they were evenly matched in a fair fight, but something had been nagging at Steve since they’d blown up the base and ran.

“Buck...” Steve turned to face him, glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping or within hearing distance, before lowering his voice. “I watched you fight for a brief moment, and she always gained the upper hand again. I know you’re an amazing fighter, but she seemed to know your weaknesses.”

Bucky let his gaze fall, not wanting to look at him. After that man, the son of doctor Zola, had confronted him, something had settled into the back of his mind. He knew her, too well for her to have just been someone he partnered with. No, she...

His face paled, and he pulled away from Steve, striding quickly down the corridor. He had recovered some valuable documents from the base, and though he hadn’t read them yet, he had a feeling he knew what they would say.

**–†–†–†–**

Two hours later, he was leaning back into the chair he was currently sitting on, fear invading his mind. He had hoped, and maybe even prayed, that he would be wrong, but he knew better. HYDRA had always feared, since Steve had come back from the ice, that something would trigger his memories and make him turn traitor.

So they had activated their secret weapon, training her to be faster, smarter, and skilled then he was, by far. They had pushed her to the point of death, and then dragged her back to let her rest for a day, only to do it all over again. They broke her again and again, forcing her to become someone new.

They had eventually succeeded, and as it turned out, they needed her now.

Bucky ran a hand through his hair, noting that his finger shook slightly. And why shouldn’t they be?

He had just fought the woman who had been designed to kill him. And as of now, he was certain she was out there, waiting for him to dare to step out of the safety of the tower, to risk showing his face again.

His killswitch was waiting to engage and destroy him utterly.


	6. Lookalike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coulson shows up, and you receive some information you don’t like.

“So you’re telling us that you had information on the Ghost, and you were holding back?" The low growl that came from Bucky was enough to make everyone apprehensive, even Steve, as the former HYDRA assassin went toe-to-toe with Coulson, who had come in after hearing about the fight between Bucky and the Ghost.

"Yes, because as director, I didn't think you needed to know it." Coulson replied calmly, not even flinching when Bucky growled again. Steve reached forward to place a hand on Bucky's shoulder, silently warning him to calm down. "Most of it is only little bits and pieces Daisy managed to get from Ward before he turned."

"This is exactly what Fury did." Steve interjected coldly, eyes hard. "And because he kept something from me, my mission was jeopardized." He had to side with Bucky on this one. Keeping information that could have helped them could've seriously endangered Bucky.

Like the fact the Ghost had been active for a while, and watching Bucky. Apparently, she had been awake for months, and hadn't done anything until fighting Bucky inside the base.

Coulson's gaze switched to the man he looked up to, and practically worshipped in some ways. Right now, however, he knew he had to be firm. "What if we had given you information that was false, and that endangered Bucky?" He turned the question on its head, directing it back at Steve, who didn't look impressed.

"All the same, you could have told us what you knew. We could have determined what to believe, and what to disregard."

"You aren't the director here, Steve," Coulson snapped, getting a bit impatient. "I did what I thought was best, and I think Fury would agree that giving you information that hasn't, and can't, be fully proven would not be a good or safe idea. Besides, like you said, Bucky here can match her in a fight. Fight together, and she shouldn't stand a chance."

Bucky's gaze was dark and angry, and he had been silent until now, trying to calm himself before the Soldier resurfaced and took control. " _Director_." He said the word like it was an insult, and that didn't make him appeal to Coulson, but right now, he didn't give a damn about how much the director liked him. "The Ghost is my killswitch, so yeah, anything you could have told us would have been helpful."

The news silenced Coulson, and his eyes widened a tiny fraction before he regained his calm. "How do you know the Ghost is your killswitch? Wouldn't HYDRA have some sort of way of disabling you from afar?"

"No. Everything they tried, failed, so they eventually started working with her. I even trained her for a time, so she could learn my ways and weaknesses." He had remembered this after he read the retrieved documents, as if reading that information had opened a small floodgate of his memories of her.

He neglected to mention the memory he had of her laughing and kissing him. He wasn't sure if it was his brain trying to invent something nice – he wanted, needed, a good memory so badly, to hold onto and make his own, amidst all the bloody and heart wrenching things his mind always supplied him with – or if it was real.

Either way, he didn't anyone to know about it. If it was real, he wasn't sure it was genuine. Maybe it was her distracting him before she bested him in a fight or something.

"Bucky?"

Steve's voice once again proved to be the thing that broke Bucky out of his thoughts, as he looked at his old friend. He realized someone had said something, and furrowed his brow.

"What?"

Coulson cleared his throat, causing Bucky's gaze to fall back upon him. "I said, if you can remember anything about her weaknesses, maybe we can use that." He threw a file onto the table. "There's everything Daisy got from Ward."

Steve gingerly picked the file up, as though it could explode, flipping through it. "There's barely anything in here," he commented, frowning when he glanced up.

"Like I said, myths and pieces, and not much of them, either. That's all we have." Coulson replied, getting more annoyed.

Steve was silent, scanning something before him as he paled a little. "What's this?" He asked, his eyes darting up once more as they desperately searched out Coulson's.

Coulson's expression didn't waver.

"Those who have seen the Ghost say she looks uncannily similar to you." He paused, then added, "They say that you look so similar, you could be brother and sister."

** –†–†–†– **

You were currently in the front passenger seat of Zola's car, and you didn't look happy about it. Then again, you never really did show your emotions openly. You had been trained too well for that, and knew the punishment. Zola mused on this, before speaking.

"You didn't kill him."

You didn't give any sign of acknowledgement, knowing he had to say more and ask a question before you could respond. He gave a little chuckle.

"He was mad, at me. For making you the best soldier you could be."

Silence greeted his words, but a little glimmer of interest had been awakened. You kept your expression neutral, as though you still hadn't heard him, though. He was your superior, and would reveal what you needed to know.

Sensing something, your eyes flickered to the side, and sure enough, the man had taken to staring at you. You had withstood snow storms and the rage of battle, and had unflinchingly murdered newborns, but his stare made you uncomfortable. Still, you didn't dare say anything.

"You do look quite similar to Captain Rogers." He mused a little, and your head snapped towards him, your eyes widening. You knew exactly who Steve Rogers was: the archenemy of HYDRA. To say you looked like him could easily be taken as an insult, but he only chuckled at your reaction. "Relax, my dear. I meant no harm."

Your posture remained the same, but a wary look was now in your eyes.

Zola didn't like that.

"Stand down, soldier." He snapped. "I meant no offense."

You gave a little nod, and soon had returned to staring blankly ahead, though all of your sense were on overdrive, straining to be able to detect any sign of an enemy before they even knew you were aware of them. Zola noted this action, and kept silent, but his expression wasn't happy.

_I could have programmed her so much better, and turned such a prize for Captain Rogers into something better, but of course not. Levinski had to get her. Of course he did. No one takes the son of Dr. Zola seriously._

His eyes flickered to you, and his lips pulled back in a little smirk. You, of course, noticed, but remained silent as you was suppose to.

_They'll regret that very, very soon, when I bring Captain America and that traitor Barnes to their knees with someone they hold precious._


	7. A/N

Heyyyy! Nyla here. So, yes, I'm working on the new chapter! ^_^ Yay! But it might be a while before it comes out. 

On the happy side... I have two new fanfics, another Marvel one called "Legacy", and a Harry Potter one called "Lie To Me". I wanna know what you think of them.

"Legacy" is the first book in a trilogy called Daughter of Darkness (the second book is called "Downfall" and the third is "Redemption"....though I might change it to "Remembrance" or "Revival"). It's about Loki's daughter (my OC Kara) who grew up in Asgard believing Odin found her at the palace entrance and adopted her as his own. She's a high Commander in the Royal Guard, close to Sif (who is a Valkyrie now) and somewhat close to Thor. However, she has her suspicions about her being connected to Loki (which Odin denies), but then it's revealed that she's his secondborn daughter (the first being Hel). She flees to join the Valkyries upon hearing that she's Loki's daughter, but more information reveals itself and she constantly fights the urge of doing evil. Finally, Hel makes contact with her, and she's tricked into going with a messenger she thinks is from Vanaheim to help them. In reality, Loki kidnaps her and brings her to stay at his "mansion" he has chosen to place on Earth to keep her away from Odin, since the Avengers protect Earth and Odin can't use force to get her back. The Avengers, having been told by Thor what Loki is up to, monitor Loki and Kara closely, and manage to convince Loki to let them stay at his mansion to help "protect" her (they just watch to keep a close eye on her). In the end, after Kara and Loki fight, Kara runs and disappears for months. The next sighting of her turns everyone's blood cold -- she has gone rogue, and stolen an Infinity Stone whose power she is drawing on. It is also revealed she is now helping a sworn enemy of Loki's, Asgard's, and the universe itself.

Sorry if that's too much info XD. I just wanted to know what y'all think of the plot??

 

"Lie To Me" is a Harry Potter fanfic with another OC of mine. Victoria Bellamore is a pureblooded Slytherin, who chooses to return to Hogwarts after the Battle of Hogwarts for eighth year. She was dating Draco Malfoy, but after a turbulent summer with minimum, tense correspondence between the two, neither of them are sure where their relationship stands, and neither dare to bring it up. Tensions come to a head between the two of them, and they officially break up. To spite Malfoy, after he insulted her and got a new girlfriend the day after their breakup just to hurt her, she decides to flirt with Harry Potter, whom she use to insult and bully (along with bullying Ron and Hermione) mainly, though she bullied others too. At first, Harry and his friends want nothing to do with her, but after she convinces them that she's sincere, they start flirting back and forth and Victoria realizes she actually is falling for Harry, and vice versa. They eventually start dating, but then breakup one night after Harry and his friends accuse her of getting close to him to hurt him, because someone's been sneaking around trying to hurt or kill Harry and signs point to her or her brother as the culprit. Furious, she breaks up with him. Her twin brother, who went insane merely a couple weeks after school started back, is hidden in the Room of Requirement (she covered up his disappearance by claiming he ran into the Forbidden Forest one night after they had a fight), because she's afraid that if she sends him back home with no one to take care of him (their father and older sister are dead, and their mother is in prison) the Ministry for Magic will arrest him for being a Death Eater. As it turns out, he might not be quite as insane as she thought. . . .

Sooo!!!! What do you think? Comments? Feedback? Advice?

\- Nyla


	8. Another A/N (yessss I know, sorry. Food? *holds out your favorite food and drink*)

First off... 

SORRYYYYY. I totally abandoned this story, and I feel awful about that. School kept piling up, along with other things like family issues and a pesky thing called real life (XD), and I completely forgot about this story. Alsooo.... I had totally forgotten where I wanted it to go. Who was the Ghost, you, going to be? How were you going to be “precious” to Steve and Buck? Etc, etc, etc. So, I ended up deciding to take a break from this story, figured I would let you know, and then... Never did, and never came back (until now!).

So, sorry! Please forgive me! Hugs? 

So, yes, now I’m back, and yes (YAAAY!), I’m going to continue this story!!! 

But I need your help. 

I do have other things to do now (the life of a high school junior taking way too many APs than is good for her — seriously, everyone I've talked to is actually dumbfounded at how many APs I’m taking. I think about... Five or six?). Plus, I’m writing two original novels (one fantasy/kinda Greek-mythologically based, the other dystopian), reviving another fanfic (yes, another Marvel one, “Legacy”) and dealing with some real life drama.

That’s why I’ve decided to turn to you, my very lovely audience! Please feel free to send me new ideas for this story, or my other fanfics via my tumblr (@i-had-a-halo-once), or through comments or messages here on AO3, and every so often, if I get really stuck with writer’s block on this, I will be posting “polls” of sorts. I will give you options as to where you, the reader, want the story to go, and then see where I can take the winning idea(s) with this story.

So, anyway! I love you all and you’re all so amazing!! The next chapter should be coming out soon!

\- Nyla


	9. Another A/N?!? Are you kidding me?! *facepalming commencing*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SORRY MY LOYAL FOLLOWERS AND READERS, I JUST HAVE TO GIVE YOU SOME IMPORTANT INFO
> 
> AND THEN I SWEAR I WILL POST ACTUAL CHAPTERS

Hi. I know, I know, another A/N (*hiss*)

But I just wanted y'all to know what's going on right now.

Currently, I am working on two original novels, and they will be taking priority, close behind high school and my graduation project. Which means this fanfic, while once more updated, will be updated slowly. I apologize, but I do want to work on my novels.

However, I definitely want to continue this! It's honestly one of the best fanfics I've ever come up with, therefore I have every desire to continue it :)

So give me some time, and the next chapter will be up.

And please send in your ideas and theories! I love hearing what you think about this story!

Thanks for being so awesome!  
  


\- Nyla


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